DIARY OF OLAJUMOKE DAVIES: THE FULL HOUSE-WIFE!

“What is wrong with Nifemi?” Aunt Remi asked in concern, closely followed by her husband and Folabi and their younger child, Bolu. I tapped the screen of my phone and handed it to her without a word. “Oh my God!” Aunt Remi exclaimed in a teary whisper as her handbag dropped with a thud and she sank unto the rugged floor. Her husband snatched the phone out of her lifeless fingers and stared at the picture with an expressionless face. He turned round and gave Folabi a resounding slap that rocked the young boy backward. He reeled backward with a shocked expression on his face and stumbled on his feet.

“Uncle, what did I do?” Folabi asked with angry tears rapidly forming in his eyes as he held his ringing ear and my uncle shoved the phone under his nose. “Who is this? What were you doing to my daughter? Is this how you will repay me for what I have been doing for you and your wretched family? “My Uncle shouted in rage, punctuating each question with a blow to any part of his body. “It’s the devil, Uncle. I swear, I don’t know what enter into me and this is the first time it happened. I promised it won’t happen again, I am begging you in the name of God. Please don’t send me back home.” Folabi rolled around on the floor, his voice hoarse with fear and tears. “It is not the first time, daddy.” Bolu spoke clearly for the first time and every eyes turned to him. “Why didn’t you or your sister tell me, Bolu? “Their father asked in a defeated voice. “He said he will poison our food if we do and the day we tried to tell mum, she said she was tired, that we should discuss it in the morning.” Bolu said with a shrug and a sad look at his sister. Aunt Remi covered her face and cried as if her heart would break. “Thank God that Aunt Jummy came because Uncle Folabi couldn’t do much since she arrived as she was always watching his movement. He said he didn’t like Aunt Jummy. ”Bolu gave me an apologetic smile and moved to touch his sister’s cheek. “Remi the business woman, can you see your life now? Money is more important to you than your children.” Her husband with a scornful look. “It runs in the family.” I mumbled under my voice and leaned over to kiss Bolu’s cheek. “Your family will pick you up from the police station in the morning.” Uncle said as he made a phone call on his way out of the room and Folabi’s pleas fell on deaf ears.

It became a very serious family issue and the folabi’s mother insisted his son was under spiritual attack but it was the last time he ever stayed in my Aunt’s house. My Aunt started dropping her kids off in school by herself and the school bus dropped them off at her shop after which they would go home together in the evening.

The Easter holiday fell within my vacation and I decided to spend my last few days with my mother.

As I was driving out of the compound one afternoon, a car was blocking the entrance and I pressed the horn several times because I knew it belonged to just one tenant as the others were already at work. Caroline Adebayo was a full house-wife and she was almost always at home with her last child who was 2 years old unless she went to the market or went to pick her older children in school. Eventually, I got down from the car angrily and matched to her door with the intention of rapping loudly on it but I nearly stumbled over her prone figure that was lying in the sitting room doorway on the floor. I froze in shock as all the anger drained out of me in a whoosh and I bent down to feel her pulse. It was beating, though a bit faster than normal and her skin was warm. I stepped over her body into her sitting room and could see her toddler was sleeping peacefully in a corner, oblivious to the fact that her mother was in danger. I ran to the bathroom and wet some towel, then came back with it and a bowl of water to place it on her face.

Fortunately, her phone was lying beside her and I picked it up to call her husband. He picked after 4 rings just when I was about to drop the phone and concentrate on the woman, lying at my feet. “Hello. I have told you not to call me in the middle of a work-day again. It is distracting.” Her husband’s angry voice came on the line and I was silent for a moment. “This is Jumoke Davies, the landlady’s daughter. I am using her phone to call because she has fainted and I think you should come home right away.” I said quietly and it was his turn to stay silent. “Sir, are you still there?” I asked impatiently. “Yes, I am. I am in the middle of a very important meeting when your call came in and it will take me sometimes before I can get home. I will send you our family doctor’s number and name. Please help me get in touch with him and I will be very grateful. “He said sincerely, even though I could still hear traces of anger in his voice. “I will keep you updated sir.” I clicked off and bent down beside the woman that was starting to stir .I sprinkled some water on her face and the eyes opened slowly. They were red-rimmed and looked very tired.

“I heard your horn and was coming out to move the car when everything just went blank.” She said in a slightly slurring voice as she tried to keep her eyes open. “What happened to you, madam? What is wrong? Thank God you didn’t hit your head on the floor on your way down.” I said in concern as I sat down on the floor and moped her brow with the cold cloth. “Thank you, Aunt Jummy. I have been under lots of stress lately. I was up half of the night with my last born having catarrh and cold and having truckloads of laundry to sort out. I am just so tired.” She said with a sigh as she closed her eyes. “Please call me Jummy. Don’t you think you should get a housemaid? Dealing with 3 kids continuously on a daily basis is not a walk in the park, not to talk of chores in the house.” I said with a frown as I glanced around the neat, spacious 3-bedroom apartment and she gave a brittle laugh. “Do call me carol then. My husband will not even hear of it, he insisted he doesn’t want an outsider in my home and since I am not working, he said there is no big deal in what I am doing. I have complained so many times and he doesn’t understand I am dying inside gradually. “She said sadly as tears filled her eyes. “You know what, Caroline? Let’s get you to the hospital first and we will take it from there.” I said quietly, trying to pull her up and she moved sluggishly into a sitting position. “I just needed to rest. There is nothing wrong with me and there will be no one to pick my children up.” She said slowly, holding her head in her arms. “How would you rest if you continue to stay in this house with the kids around you? If you slump again the way you did this afternoon and there is no one around to help, what do you think will happen to you? What will become the fates of the children you are fretting about now? Do you think your husband will stay unmarried forever?” I snapped at her angrily as I got to my feet and she looked up at me. “Thank you. You are right. Please help me to my feet so I can go and dress up.” She struggled to her feet and I led her to her bedroom. At the end, I helped with the dressing and packing a few stuffs for her children because she was too weak to stay on her feet. I took her last child to my mother and drove her to their family hospital. She was put on instant admission and put to sleep immediately. I postponed my outing and went to pick her kids in school after she has spoken to the school authority. I dropped them off with my mother as well and went back to the hospital to cook my plan with the young, very attractive family doctor.

I was with the doctor in the evening when her husband came to visit and I excused myself to hurry to Caroline’s side. “Your husband is around and you are going to be on bedrest for the next four weeks.” I said in a hushed voice and she bit her lips nervously. “Do you think the doctor would be able to convince him? Will the kids be okay without me?” She asked with a worried look and I squeezed her hand reassuringly. “They need you to be alive and kicking, not to be buried in a 6 feet grave, so relax and be sure I will be coming around to take you out. As for your family doctor, he is just a man and I have handled him.” I said with a coy smile and she laughed out loud, then sobered up immediately we heard footsteps approaching the private ward. The next few days was a very interesting one indeed!

DIARY OF OLAJUMOKE DAVIES : THE ABUSE (2)


Nifemi was lying on the bed, still and staring at the ceiling while Folabi touched her budding little breasts and her privates. Her shorts was gone and she was naked from the waist down. I could see the bulge in folabi’s shorts as he performed this despicable act and his breath was coming out in short gasps. It was obvious what was going to happen next and my legs shook badly where I stood immobile, staring at the scene through the window like someone in a trance. My eyes blurred and Nifemi’s face slowly turned to mine in my mind.

The dark part of my childhood came hurtling back at me like a piece of bullet and gripped me so hard that I thought I was going to faint on the spot. I was the typical dad’s pet and I remembered clearly that he took me everywhere he went whenever he was around. It was so bad that the teachers in the school dread to beat or punished me because if they do, my father would make a scene in the school the next day that would eventually got to the management of the school and put that teacher into trouble. Unfortunately, his kind of job didn’t allow him to be around all the time and as a result, we were raised mostly by my mother.

The first time I nearly experienced an abuse from a man, I was about 7 years old. A teacher in one of my friend’s school who stayed in our estate was hired by a group of parent to give us private lessons after school and one of the parent coordinated the payment so he was paid at the end of the month. I guessed this saved cost for our parents in addition to being close to our homes for the private classes and it gave the teacher an opportunity for another source of income.

One evening, we were through for the day and were about to leave his house when he asked me to wait behind while he ordered the others including my siblings to go ahead without me. I sat down there, wondering if I had done something wrong while he attended to a visitor that came visiting just as the others were leaving .Fortunately, my father had gotten home without prior notice from one of his prior visit and my siblings met him at home. My father asked after me and he was told I have been delayed by our lesson teacher.

Meanwhile, Mr John finished his discussion with his visitor, closed and locked the door before he came to sit beside me with a smile. I smiled back uncertainly but before he could open his mouth to talk, there was a loud knock and crash on the door. He rushed to open the door with an angry oath and before he said a word, my father landed him a slap on his face. “What the hell are you doing with my daughter ?” My father bellowed in a loud voice, towering over the trembling man. That was the last time we ever attended that lesson classes.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t so lucky in my other encounters with randy young men who took delights in abusing little girls like me, considering the fact that I was tall and looked quite bigger than my age.

Not long after that incidence, we changed school and my parent decided we should be staying with a family friend in his office as his office was just five minutes’ walk from our school. The arrangement was for my mother to pick us up after work and we left for the home together from there. The family friend was a young man whose elder sister was my dad’s classmate in school and my dad was the one who got him his present job. I remembered attending his wedding as a family outing and my father actually came home to attend the event. His wife got pregnant shortly after the wedding and he sent the wife to stay with his mother in his home town.

Uncle Dolapo would give the elder one between my two siblings money and told her to go out with our last born to get goodies. He was the office secretary in an insurance company and he was usually alone in the office most afternoon when we got there. He started with sitting me on his lap and fingering me while he threatened that if I ever told anyone, he would kill me. I believed him. At times, he would asked me to touch and pull on his penis while he would groaned like someone in pain. The last straw was the day he laid me in their store and rubbed his penis all over my privates until he poured white creamy substances all over my thigh. I guessed I was too young for any penetration to take place but I knew what he was doing was wrong and I cried as if my life would end. He promised to buy me lots of goodies and my siblings kept asking me why my eyes were red, especially my immediate younger sister but I didn’t say anything to anyone.

My mother used to tell me I would get pregnant if any man ever shook my hand in a handshake and I tried to avoid any man as much as possible. I started getting worried as the encounter with Uncle Dolapo unfolded on daily basis and when I fell sick, I was convinced I was pregnant. My young mind was terrified and I finally blurted out what was happening to my mum. I told her I was pregnant and she burst into hearty laughter.

“What made you think you may be pregnant? You have not even started your monthly period yet.” She said with a smile. “Uncle Dolapo has been touching me.”I mumbled without looking at her, picking at the cover cloth. “Touched you in what way?” she asked in a puzzled voice. “He touched me in my pants and on my breasts.” I mumbled again, unable to let her know he had gone beyond that and my mother was silent for a long time. “Dress up and let’s go to the hospital. “She said after a moment and left the room. I thought we were going for a pregnancy test and was scared shitless but I was asked a few questions and treated for malaria. I stayed off school for a couple of days but my mother never visited the issue again and the ordeal with Uncle Dolapo continued for a while until my mother resigned from her place of work. It never occurred to me to tell my father on his occasional visit home, probably because my mother did nothing to stop it but the other times I experienced it from men, I was bigger and meaner and had learnt to defend myself against randy hands.

It seemed it was happening all over again to a loved one and unlike my mother, I had no intention of sweeping it under the carpet. I came back to the present with a cold calmness in me and raised my phone. I zoomed in and took a couple of very clear shots of what was happening in that room. “Aunt Remi, can you please start coming home? There is an emergency and call your husband when you are coming.” I told my Aunt on the phone as I started strolling back towards the house with an air of non-chalancy around me but a cold anger was burning inside me. “Can’t it wait, Jummy? I am in the middle of a very important sales right now.” Aunt Remi said and I could almost see the frown on her fair face. “No, it can’t wait. If you don’t value the life of the children you claim to be working for, stay there and don’t bother to come home.” I snapped into the phone and cut the call. I called the husband and he promised to be home in less than thirty minutes. Birds of a feather, I thought bitterly of my mother and my Aunt as I got to the door and knocked. “I am coming.” Bolu’s voice rang out as he ran to the door and opened it. “Where is your sister?” I asked as I walked towards the room. “She is sleeping ma.”Folabi answered as he came out the kitchen, wiping his brow. “Really? What is wrong with her?” I asked in a voice, heavy with sarcasm. “There is nothing wrong with her. I guess she is just tired.” Folabi said with a smile and I walked into the room without another word. Nifemi was cuddled in the middle of the bed, she wasn’t sleeping but just staring towards the window with a blank expression on her young face. I picked her up and cuddled her in my lap like a baby. She burst into tears, clinging to me desperately and it was in this position that her parent met us!

Well done. It was an interesting read and quite touching!

DIARY OF OLAJUMOKE DAVIES : THE ABUSE!


I learnt some valuable lessons from Tayo Bakare’s life .I learnt that marriage is not a bed of rose, that every marriage has its ups and downs, that all that glittered is not gold and not to get too desperate for marriage. I stared moodily into my glass of wine until Joseph tapped me on my knees and grinned at me.

“Come off it, Jummy. Let’s dig it on the dance floor. “He pulled me up and dragged me to the dance floor where “Kabiesi” by Falz was playing .I couldn’t help laughing because it was one of my favorite music of the moment. I remembered he was a great dancer from the company’s last End-of-the-year party and he proved it all over again. I matched him step by step and we left the dance floor, giggling like two idiots. We left the bar just after 11pm and I decided to call it a night. He pulled up in front of my house and turned off the ignition key. “I really enjoyed myself and I would like us to do this again.” Joseph said with a smile as he took my hand and toyed with my beautifully painted nails. Why would I be hanging out with you on a regular basis now or what do you have to offer me? Looking for free sex, right? I thought in amusement and rolled my eyes in the dark. “Sure, why not? “I nodded my head and the next thing he was kissing me. We had some steamy session in his car. I got down from the car and gave him the kind of Mouth Action he would never forget in his life. He was still gasping for breath and trying to get some words out of his mouth when I took my hand bag and walked away with a naughty smile on my face!

My vacation was coming up and I needed to get out of Lagos and its environs by all means. Dollar rate was shooting up and the cost of tickets from Nigeria to anywhere in the world including our neighbor country, Ghana was killing. I called my Aunt in Abuja and told her I would be visiting. She sounded very eager to receive me and we gisted and gossiped about a few family members before we ended the call with a hearty laugh. I cheerfully handed over to the colleague relieving me on Friday as if I would be gone for more than two weeks and tidied up my house over the weekend. I left Lagos on the 5.20pm flight on Air Peace and got to Abuja by 6.40pm. Aunt Remi was already waiting for me at the arrival lounge and we drove to her home in Wuse zone two with her husband and two kids. She worked in INEC office in Abuja and also has a high class boutique shop when she sell all sort of female wares ,undies ,shoes and bags to mention but a few. Her husband was an Engineer and had a thriving engineering firm. They have two kids, the first was a young girl of 9 years old and the second was a 7year old boy. They lived in a 3 bedroom, well furnished apartment and it was obvious they were very comfortable.

There was a young boy of about 17 year old staying with them and his name was Folabi. According to my Aunt, he was a distant cousin to her husband and since her last housemaid misbehaved and was sent away, the boy had been very useful to her. He had finished his secondary school and was awaiting the result for his West Africa examination certificate in order to gain admission into higher institution. I learnt his father was late and with several siblings waiting to be fed at home in addition to the fact that the mother didn’t have any tangible source of income, it was obvious his responsibilities had been passed on to my Aunt and her family. My Aunt sang his praise at every opportunity because he had turned himself into an indispensable house help and she wasn’t bothering to look for a replacement for the last house-maid. He was very nice to me too and was eager to run any errands for me but there was something about him that didn’t sit well with me. I let it slide and just decided to enjoy my vacation. Thank God, I won’t be doing the job of baby-sitter while on vacation, I sighed with relieve.

Within a few days of my stay in Abuja, I realized my Aunt and her husband were the typical workaholic couple that barely have time for any other thing except their source of income, even on the weekends. I usually woke up late and went to bed very late as well. We do not see at all most mornings and the reason I saw them in the evening was because I stayed up late, watching the movies. This means the kids would still be sleeping or just waking up when they were leaving for work in the morning and were usually asleep by the time they got back in the evening. Folabi was the one who took the kids to the bus stop to meet the school bus and he was usually at home in the afternoon when the kids were dropped off after school. He did the cooking most times from all the little bowls my aunt piled in the refrigerator on weekends and he helped with their home work as well. Most days, I went out on a visit to my friends in town or spent the day, dozing on and off with a thick paperback novel beside me in bed and would come out only when I was hungry.

However, whenever I happened to be in the sitting room in the afternoon, my niece, Nifemi would snuggled to my side and refused to leave. At times, she would be eager to follow me to my friend’s place and I usually don’t mind unless it was late.

Nifemi was a beautiful little girl who was fast growing into her teen body with budding little breasts, smooth glowing fair skin and long legs .she was a slim girl and anyone with eyes could see she would grow into a very beautiful young lady very soon. She was also very quiet and wasn’t the talkative I used to know the last time I visited few years ago .I thought she grew out of it.

One afternoon, I was watching a Nigerian movie on Africa magic that was particularly erotic but immediately I saw her come into the sitting room, I switched the channel to Disney junior. She sat down beside me and snickered behind her palm, covering her mouth. “Aunty Jummy, you don’t need to change the channel, I know what they are doing. “She said with a quiet smile. “What are they doing? “I asked without a change of expression. “They are making love now. “She answered without looking at me. “What is the meaning of making love, Nifemi?” I turned to face her squarely and she started shifting on the seat uncomfortably. “I mean they are having sex. Is there any big deal about it? “She said glanced at me and away. “What do you know about sex?” I asked calmly and her silence started worrying me seriously. “Nifemi, I am talking to you.” I said quietly and she fidgeted in her seat. “Nothing” She mumbled in a barely audible voice and I kept staring at her. “Aunt Jummy, I don’t know anything. I swear “she said in a voice barely above a whisper and my heart started hammering in my chest because it was obvious she was lying. “It is okay, dear. I was going out anyway. “I stood up and heard her released a sigh of relieve. “Can I come along, Aunt Jummy? Please? “She pleaded as she stood up too and I nearly gave in but my plan was forming in my head already. “No, you can’t come along but I will soon be back. “I said with a smile, kissed her smooth cheek and went to the room to change. I left the house, walked round the building and started stalking around the open windows. I saw Bolu, the younger brother left the house shortly after I left and with dread, I went from window to window until I got to the window of the room I shared with Nifemi. What I saw left my mouth hanging open, my throat burning and anger coursing through my vein like a hurricane!

DIARY OF OLAJUMOKE COKER : THE WHISPERS!

Tayo Bakare was still in the hospital when her husband was buried. The man slumped in her presence and was carted by the medical team of the hospital where she delivered the baby and that was the last time she saw her husband alive. Each time, she asked after him, they told him he was in the ICU, sustained on oxygen and she kept praying he would come out of it alive. She was eventually discharged with her pre-matured baby and her father came to take her to her parent’s house. It was in her parent’s house that the news was broken to her and she thought her life had ended.

The funeral time-table was brought to our office and selected few among us was chosen to represent the company on the day the husband would be buried of which I was among them. It was a quiet and solemn day in our office that day.

The deceased was to be buried on the land the couple just possessed a few months ago and we got there just as the body was on its way to the final resting place .The picture of the deceased was pasted on the body of the ambulance conveying the body and he looked so fresh and young that I couldn’t help bursting into tears again. My two other female colleagues in the car joined in the tears while our men looked on ,solemn-faced .I kept putting myself in that woman’s shoes ,having married at mid-thirties and losing the husband just over a year after the marriage. This life is indeed a vanity!

We got down from the company car in our black attires and followed the crowd of people at the back of the casket bearer to where the body would be laid to rest. The deceased owned a thriving private company and the staffs were in attendance at the funeral .I was able to recognized most of the staffs because of the company t-shirts they were wearing and two particular ladies caught my attention. They were wailing and crying so loudly that you have to think the deceased was their close relative.

One was dark and the other was fair in complexion, both were tall and quite beautiful with their Brazilian hair covered with black net. They were both in jeans with the company t-shirts, hugging their generous curvy bodies and sneakers. Even though they wore no make-up, the smooth flawless face, long artificial eye-lashes and beautifully painted long-nails portrayed the fact that these babes were very much in town. I thought I was the only one who noticed them until I caught one of my senior colleague, Richard, stealing glances at them with a half-smile on his face and I nudged him in the rib. He jumped and grinned at me. “Those babes are very beautiful, I won’t lie to you.” Richard whispered at me and I glared at him. “For God’s sake, Richard, do you have no conscience? They are about to put a man in the ground forever and you are here leering at women.” I whispered furiously at him. “Well, he paid for his greediness. We all love enjoying life to the fullest but we should do it in moderation. Na wetin he sabi chop kill am at the end.” Richard said with a shrug and turned away. I stared after him in complete shock and surprise. After a while, I let it go and concentrated on the funeral procession.

Tayo Bakare remained in her cocoon of darkness for a long time and only catered to the innocent little baby as a matter of necessity. She contemplated suicide so many times and concluded she was just not meant to be happy in her life. I visited her a few times and each time I went for a visit, I couldn’t help remembering the last time I was in her matrimonial home that was full of so much love and laughter. I couldn’t help envying her good luck then.

Even though someone’s life seemed to be at a standstill, life continued and the whispers began. At first, I thought it was a hearsay and didn’t put too much stock into it until it started circulating round the office. I was mad and angry that such tales could be passed around about one of my favorite person in my workplace but after sometimes I decided to find out the truth.

Richard’s family was actually a family friend to Tayo Bakare and they were quite close in and out of the office as they meet at occasions in town. Richard was a married man but he never hide the fact that he loved women and women loved him because he was a natural flirt. He was always asking me out whenever the opportunity presented itself and I decided to hang out with him to get to the bottom of this. What I learnt shook me to the soul of my feet!

“Joseph was an outgoing guy and Tayo knew it before she got married to him. Linda is Joseph’s personal assistance and she was the fair one between the two ladies who were crying loudly at the funeral ground. After their wedding, I have met Joseph so many times in town and he was always with Linda. Tayo is a home babe while her husband was a club-goer and the reason they ended up with each other was best known to them. It was probably because Tayo thought she can change her husband into what she wants and the husband let her believe that for whatever reason.” Richard grinned at me through the chain of cigarette smoke he just blew into the air. Joseph was Tayo Bakare’s deceased husband. “But why didn’t you tell Tayo about seeing her husband with his P.A? You guys are family friends now.” I said angrily and he laughed heartily. “Jummy, you don’t want to tell me you are this naïve. If Tayo cannot see her husband for who he is, it is both their business and not mine.” He said dismissively and drank deep from his glass of red wine. “Does that mean he kept seeing her all the time she was in the hospital?” I asked with a frown and he was silent for a while. “I am not supposed to be telling you all this but I guess it would be worth it in the end” He smiled slowly, running his eyes from the top of my braided hair to my cleavage and down to my thigh. I just started back blandly and he laughed heartily. “Yes, he was seeing Linda and was actually coming from Linda’s place the day he died. Linda is a runs babe and she gave him everything Tayo is too conservative to give him. At the end, she was his death……….” Richard’s voice trailed off and I stared with blank horror on my face. “He slumped in his wife’s hospital ward. “I said in a whisper, full of tears and sorrow at such a waste of life!

DIARY OF OLAJUMOKE DAVIES: REFLECTIONS!


“Who is he? Do you know him?”Ruth asked curiously from behind as she came to stand beside me. “Jummy, what are you doing here?”My uncle found his voice at last and I had the satisfaction of seeing sweats bead on his forehead. “Can someone tell me what is going on here? Have you guys known each other before?”Julia asked as she looked from me to him and back again. “It seems so, Julia.I’m sorry for the awkwardness but I don’t like this man.”I gave him a disdainful look and moved to the bar. “A chilled bottle of Smirnoff please. What do you want, girlfriend?”I turned to my friend who I knew was already dying from curiosity. “I can get my own drink, babe.Damn it, release me from this suspense please.” she hissed angrily into my ear and I took a sip of my drink before I could burst into laughter. “He is my favorite uncle –in law, the one that got the award for the best husband of the year.”I told her with a straight face. “Really? I think I need my drink now. A shot of whisky with ice please.” she told the bar man as she sat on the tall stool beside me. “I can see why he couldn’t get his wife pregnant. He has been busy donating the fertile sperms in him to the young girls and the useless one to his wife.”I said with a shake of my head and emptied my glass. “Hmn……..he is sure good-looking.”Ruth leaned forward to take another look at him and grinned at him. “He is gone. He will be thinking you would be on the phone by now.”Ruth laughed softly as she sipped her drink. “Where would I tell my aunty I saw him? I would be in soup at home. Moreover if his wife cannot see him for the cheat he is, that is their problem and not mine.”I said with a giggle and poured the last of my drink into the glass cup. “It would be a great experience to have slept with him and find out who he was after that.”Ruth said with a mischievous grin and I gave her a jab in the rib. “Let’s roll, babe.There are other men here who are not my uncle abeg.”I got to my feet and looked around. “Yeah, let’s rock.”Ruth threw the rest of her drink down her throat and we mix with the crowd to rock the party till dawn.
“Babes, how was your weekend?”It was on Monday and we are back at work again. God! it was one very short weekend, I groaned inwardly as I contemplate the days ahead. “It was fine, mama twins.”I answered automatically with a smile as I turned to watch the very pregnant woman rush into the bathroom and came back seconds later, panting with relieve. I and ruth burst into laughter. “You are laughing.it will soon be your turn.” Tayo bakare is the head of marketing department and was a senior colleague by several years, not only at work but in age and status! She is close to forty in age but She looked years younger than her age and just got married a year ago luckily to a young single man, probably a few years younger than she was! I was never sure. “Don’t worry, mama twins. I will take one home when you give birth to them.”Ruth said with a grin. “I will come and take him back when he is old enough to go to the market.” Tayo said so solemnly we all burst into laughter. “How are you feeling this morning, mama twins? You look kind of tired.”I asked with genuine concern as I studied her lean face. “The baby is just so impatient to get out, I guess. I’ve been visiting my gynecologist almost every weekend now.” she paused as rubbed her swollen stomach. “Once the baby start kicking me at mid-night, I also kick my husband as well and keep him awake as long as I’m awake.” she said with a grin. “That is fair enough. I love you.” Ruth gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek and she laughed again. “Talk to you girls later. I need my breakfast.” she said as she moved out of the rest room and Ruth turned to me. “You seem to like this woman a lot and I heard she is a dragon to work with.”Ruth said conversationally as she dabbed tissue on her lips to soak the excess lipstick. “You are right. I just connect with her on a personal basis probably because I knew a lot about her personal life and I could feel her.”I said quietly and Ruth gave me a close look. “Is there something unsual about her personal life?”She asked curiously. “Amebo, Na everything you wan know.”I stuck my tongue out at her and she scowled in return. “She came from a Muslim home and they were not allowed to marry from a Christian home but unfortunately, all the Muslim men she had ever dated end up jilting her. The guy she eventually marry was a Christian and a former classmate when they were in school who she had never given a second glance, not even when they were in school.”I said as I put my make-up stuffs together and returned them to the bag. “Is she happy now?”Ruth asked curiously. “What do you think? The guy practically worshipped the ground she walked on and his business seem to be growing every day ever since they got married. They did a low-key wedding but the last time I was in their home, I bow to the power of wealth.”I saluted mentally again and she nodded with approval. “The only problem they had when they first got married was child issue but after a few visits to a very expensive hospital in the heart of Ikeja , the issue was resolved and the pregnancy stayed.”I brushed down invisible lint from my charcoal-colored suit and picked up my bag. “And they lived happily ever after.”Ruth said in conclusion and we both burst into laughter.

Tayo had been absent from work for close to a week and her phone was switched off. I was getting worried and I found out I was not the only one in that category until her husband showed up at the office a few days later. I met him on my way in from the bank the following Tuesday and nearly jumped on him. “What is wrong with mama twins?”I asked anxiously. “She went into premature labor and the baby has to be removed by caesarian when she couldn’t cope any longer. The baby is fine.”He smiled at me. “And the mother?”I held my breath and he shrugged. “She is still in coma but the doctor said she will live.i hope so.”He cleared his throat and tried to smile but I squeezed his hand in reassurance. “She will be fine by God’s grace.”I collected his phone number and the address of the hospital and promised to be there. By the time, I got there the following day, she was out of coma and she grinned when she saw me. “Jummy baby, how are you?”I nearly cried with relieve as I hugged her fragile body. We gisted for sometimes before I decided to leave so that she may rest and promised to be back by weekend either she is home or still in the hospital.

The following day which was Friday, I resumed in one of our offices in town to troubleshoot and relieved one of my colleagues that reported in sick. My phone rang abruptly at noon on the dot and I was surprised to see Christy ‘s name flashing at me. “Hi Christy.”I said in an annoyed voice: I was still angry at her for telling me to resume there that morning. “Tayo’s husband is dead.” she told me in a tearful voice. “Which tayo?”I asked stupidly. “Tayo Bakare.He died last night in the hospital where his wife was admitted after receiving a call and they came to break the news in the office this morning.”Her voice droned on but the phone had slipped from my hand as I stared unseeingly at the wall and I did not realized tears was running down my face till I tasted salt in my mouth. What kind of useless and meaningless life is this?, was my last thought as I put my head on the desk and cried as if my hearts will break into tiny little piece that cannot be put together again!

DIARY OF A SINGLE WORKING-CLASS LADY: THE BLIND DATE!

“Do you think I’m in love with him, Ruth?”I asked with a frown on Monday morning. I have told Deji that I will give him a definite answer today, though he wasn’t too happy about it, probably at the fact that I didn’t jump at the offer but I was able to convince him that I have to think about it and the implication before I could agree. We left the joint in moody silence.

“You are not in love with him, jummy.You are on the rebound from that slime’s betrayal.”Ruth said forcefully as she turned to look at me and I heaved a heavy sigh. “I’m so confused, girl. He is so caring, attentive and fun to be with. He said he is in love with me, though I will be stupid to believe him, considering he has a kid and wife at home.”I said almost to myself as I paced the tiled floor to the window and back again to where she stood. “He just wants to get into your pants and we both know that.”She said with a shrug. “Maybe I want him to. He kissed me once and I went to heaven.”I rolled my eyes heavenward and Ruth burst into helpless giggles. “Are you serious? What was it like?”She asked curiously. “He is a powerful kisser, girlfriend and a great smoocher.I’m really curious to know what it feels like to roll in the sack with him.”I said in a whisper as I went to the door to make sure nobody was on the corridor. “Whow! Don’t make me jealous’o.”Ruth grinned at me and got serious again. “Be careful, girlfriend. I don’t want some crazy woman poring acid on your skin and we need to get out to meet proper men.”She said thoughtfully and it was my turn to grin. “Really? What do you have in mind?”I asked in delight. I love intrigue and adventure so much. “I will let you know before the week runs out. Meanwhile I think you should just sleep with him and forget about him.”She suggested and I did! He was a double “whow!” in bed!

I and Ruth decided to have a night-out the following Friday but unfortunately the pressure at work was terrible and the traffic was worse. Christy gave me a ride into town and I decided to drop at iyana-oworo immediately we descend from third mainland bridge to pay my aunty an impromptu visit. Aunty Kenny as we normally referred to her, she had a twin brother who lived in port-Harcourt, had been living in Lagos ever since I could remember with her live-in lover that eventually become her husband and they had been married officially for three years now but there was no child between them. I have heard mother talked about how she had been running from pillar to post in order to resolve the issue and her husband had always been so supportive. “Jummy, I wish you can get yourself a man like Dipo.He is such a gentleman. He is so supportive, caring and so faithful to his wife, despite everything.”My mother will tell me with pride as if she is uncle Dipo’s mother. “How are you so sure he has been faithful to his wife, mum? Don’t be so gullible.”I would tease the way I normally do, tongue in cheek, baiting her and she would rise to the bait like I expect her to. “How will you know if a man is faithful or not when all you do is chase after unserious playful men that will use you and dump you? I hope you know you are not getting younger. “She will give me her reproving look and I would burst into laughter. To be candid, I do envy my aunty at times, not only is she one very beautiful woman with a “baaaad” shape, her husband is not bad-looking too, they are financially stable and they have a solid marriage from the little I’ve witnessed between the couple. I met the woman in question in a bad mood, even as she tried to hide it behind hugs and kisses. i know she was really happy to see me.

“What is it again, aunty?”I asked after a while as I sat down at the kitchen table with her uneaten dinner and dung in. i was seriously starving. “I saw my menstrual period again today. It seized last month and I thought God has finally answered my prayer. “She said with a heavy sigh as tears filled her eyes. “Has your husband been complaining?”I asked with a frown and she shook her head. “He has never complained jummy but should I wait till he start complaining? I’m wondering if it was that last abortion I did for him about two years before we got married.”She said with regret and I swallowed the morsel of amala in my mouth. “I think you should stop worrying yourself. None of you has been certified barren by the medical expert and you are both young. Enjoy yourself please. What is the latest good news in your life please?”I asked with enthusiasm as I kicked off my sandals and sat back to gist. She burst into laughter and joined me at the table. “Dipo just change my car last week. Please don’t try my new car, jummy, it is “End of discussions””She said with a grin and I whistled loud and clear. “I have to borrow it one of these days.”I declared immediately and she scowled at me. “What do you want to do with my wife’s car, jummy?”Uncle Dipo asked with a smile as he came through the kitchen door and went to give his wife a smacking kiss on the lips before he joined us at the table. “I need to paint the town blue and red and green with it or what do you think, uncle Dipo?”I asked with a wide grin. “Why not as long as the owner is aware of it?”He grinned back and my aunty scowled at both of us. “That is my car and nobody is taking it anywhere. “She said as she glared specifically at me. “Not even if I get you that beautiful silver accessory with the ear-rings? You could use it for your friend’s upcoming marriage and it goes with your organizer lace “I batted my eyes at her innocently and uncle Dipo roared with laughter. We gisted far into the night before we finally retired to bed and I left for my house on Saturday night.

The next Friday was less tedious and we decided to crash one of Ruth’s friend’s party. It was taking place in the middle of ikeja and we got there around mid-night. “You are welcome, babes. It is nice to meet you finally, jummy.There are some boring looking guys I want you to meet.”Julia, Ruth’s friend from her NYSC days said as she greeted us with hugs and linked her hands in both of ours. “That is the gist, Julia.it is real great to meet you too.”I said with a smile and could feel eyes following us. The bar was dark and smoky and I could hear laughter from the men sitting there with drinks and lots of smokeable things. I heard a familiar laughter and thought my ear was playing tricks on me. “Jummy, meet my honorable in the house and the hunk of the day, Oladipo Akanbi.Dipo, this is jummy and I’m expecting you to treat her well.”Julia pushed me forward and I stared in disbelieve at the head that was bent over an expensive cigar to lit it. “Julia, you should trust me. Have I ever treated any of your friends shabbily?”He mumbled around the cigar stick as he flick the lighter off and blow smoke leisurely into the air before he turned to face me. “Uncle Dipo!”I whispered in horror and he stared at me as recognition dawned slowly on his alcohol-induced eyes. “Oh my God!”I was intrigued with the way he spaced the three-worded sentence as he stared at me with obviously growing horror!

DIARY OF OLAJUMOKE DAVIES: THE REBOUND!

It was two weeks after the break-up with Tunde and I was still reeling from the shock and the betrayal. “Look, jummy.Please try and forget this idiot of a man. He is not worth a thought from you. I’ve wished leprosy and all sort of illness on him every morning and he will have them before he died. He will die a very slow and painful death, I’m assuring you.”Ruth was telling me with passionate feelings that morning and I find myself laughing, despite everything. She has been very supportive and had been a real friend since I gave a blow by blow report of everything that happened that unfaithful weekend. I was forever grateful she was wise enough not to tell me “I told you so”, despite the fact that she did tell me not to get my hopes up and she had been trying to get me involved in her weekend activities. Every morning I got to work, looking pale and shedding weight, she would be ready with new foul names to call him that would have me reeling with laughter before I know it.

It was the third Monday and my manager was starting her annual leave that day which means a new manager from one of our branches for a one month. “Who do you think will replace Christy for one month, Ruth?”I asked worriedly as I put finished touches to my make-up. “You didn’t read your mail on Friday? Who else but Mr Hunk?”Ruth said with obvious disbelieve and my jaw dropped in amazement. Deji Adedokun is one of the best –liked managers in my company, not because the company valued him but he was very friendly, lenient, charming and on top of it all: very good-looking! Almost all the lady in the company is half in love with him as he was often discussed in the rest room but I have never worked with him in closely and I based my judgment on what I heard others said about him. “I think there is a little problem with an account he was handling and the management is planning to move him back to the office.”Ruth continued as we moved into the kitchenette to make our morning tea. “Really? I thought he is very good or so I heard.”I asked in a doubtful voice. “You know how it is with all these corporate account. One moment, you are the best to handle their account but once you make a little mistake, they start picking on your fault.”Ruth shrugged as she stirred milk and sugar into her tea and I stared in mine thoughtfully.

“Good morning, ladies.”The object of our discussion breezed into the kitchenette with a smile and I nearly dropped my tea-spoon. “Good morning.”We chorused and exchanged glances. “You are jumoke, right? We would be working together.”He turned to me with a smile and I nodded with an answering smile. “Good. I’m looking forward to working with a pretty woman like you and I learnt you are quite a genius professionally too. Christy is very proud of you.”He was sure generous with his praise and I practically blushed. “Thank you.”I looked out of the window to hide my pleasure. “Ladies, see you later.”He picked up his tea-cup and strolled out of the kitchenette. “Oh! It is a pity that he is married. I would have moved heaven and earth to hook him permanently.”Ruth said dreamily and I laughed at the expression on his face. “He is married and case is closed.”I told her and we went back to work.

It was a real pleasure working with Deji Adedokun and he took me out to lunch two days later. “What is wrong with you, jummy? You seem distress.”He asked in concern over our meal. “Am I doing badly at work?’I asked, immediately distressed and he laughed at the stricken look on my face. “I’m not disappointed in you, jummy but I have the ability to read people and I’m getting the impression that you are not at your best. Am I wrong?”He said seriously and I released my breath in a whoosh. “You are right.”I stared down into my plate and didn’t see the food. “Talk to me.”He invited and I find myself talking about my sodden relationship. “We, men can be real jerks at times and insufferable idiots.”He said with a rueful smile and I shrugged with an answering grin. We chatted about other things and eventually returned to the office.

Before I knew what was happening, we started getting close and spending our evenings together, especially on Saturday nights. He told me about his wife and his only daughter that was four year old and a whole lot of things I didn’t expect to hear from him. He called regularly after working hour and started getting involved in my day to day activities. I started asking myself what I’m doing with a married man, however charming and caring he is when I realized he is occupying my thoughts day and night. My rule number one about relationship ever since I was old enough to have one was not to date a man that is not legally available!

However affairs came to an end one Friday night. It was the fourth week since he resumed at the head office and Christy would be resuming in the office the following Monday. “Christy will resume on Monday. Are you staying behind at the head office?”I asked casually as I nursed a can of chilled Smirnoff ice and watched those dancing to the Wande Cole’s “Bumper to bumper” blaring from the D.J’s box. “I will, for the main time but it won’t be for long before I would be whisk out again.”He sat straight from his slouching position and looked at him. “Do you know I would have married you if I’m not already married?”He said quietly, soberly and I grinned, even though I knew he wasn’t drunk yet because he had been nursing just a glass of beer since we got there. “You have told me that before, Deji and a married man cannot fall in love with a single lady. It is not allowed and it is not possible.”I told him with a smile but he didn’t smile back. “It might not be allowed but it is not impossible and I’m serious. Do you have international passport?”He asked casually and I blinked at him in confusion. “I have. What does it have to do with what we are discussing?”I asked in a puzzled voice. “Easter break two days public holiday is next week and I’m thinking of travelling to Dubai or Accra to spend it. What do you think?”He looked at him as he sipped his drink. “It is cool and I envy you such but what does my passport has to do with your travel plan?”I asked still in obvious confusion. “I want you come with me. I want to spend more time with you and get to know you better in an environment where we could just be jummy and Deji with no string attached. What do you think about that?”He asked seriously, leaning towards me eagerly. My first instinct was to scream an excited “yes” and that frightened me more than anything else. The fact that I could consider putting aside my long-held principle of never dating married men and flying out of the country with a man that has a wife and a kid gave me the jitters. “I won’t ask you about your family because it is obvious you have everything under control but what do you hope to gain by getting us out of the country?”I asked quietly as I tried to sort through my feeling about this whole thing.Oh! How easy and tempting it is to forget about the future and just enjoy the moment with this charming man, I thought longingly. Have I fallen so easily again for a married man or am I on the rebound? Should I follow my heart or my head?

It is available here:
https://mobolajiolanrewaju./2017/01/30/diary-of-olajumoke-davies-the-rebound/

BOLAPE:
My name is Mobolaji Olanrewaju. I am the author of http://www.mobolajiolanrewaju., a blog through which i reach out to my readers. I love reading and writing.
I am a graduate and while in school, i received an award for best writer of the year.I also write for local Newspaper during my service year for the women's World and "Diary of a single,fun-loving Lady".

My industry experience include Consulting in Travel-related issues,booking and reservation of flight and hotels and Tours.

I am a graduate of biochemistry ,i have MBA in Human Resource and currently doing my certification in CIPM (Chartered Institute of personnel management).

I just started my write up on "DIARY OF OLAJUMOKE DAVIES"

THE BOOT!
It was a Friday once again and my best day out of the whole week but this particular Friday was very special. I have this dream look on my face throughout the week and have trouble concentrating on my work. It got so bad that my best friend and colleague, Ruth actually noticed the look and dragged me to the office restroom during our lunch break.

“Whatzup with you, jummy? You have been behaving like a newly –wedded bride since the beginning of the week.”Ruth demanded with her hand on her hips. Ruth was a delta girl that was born and bred in the north and came to Lagos after her service year in the eastern part of Nigeria. She was a short, plumpy girl in her early thirties with an open and straightforward nature that attracted me to her the very first time I met her which was two months after I joined my company. “Tunde invited me to spend this coming weekend with him.”I confided in a loud stage whisper with a big smile on my face and watched her pretty face clouded in confusion. Tunde was my two-year old boyfriend who worked in the bank on the island and almost everybody in the company knew about our relationship. “What is the big deal about that? Is it the first time you are spending the weekend at his place?”She asked in sacasm, almost glaring at me. “Oh! You don’t understand? I think he is going to pop the big question. I’m so happy. He has been kind of mysterious in the past few weeks and has been surprising me in little million ways. Don’t you get it?”I took her hand eagerly and shook it with impatience. “Be real, jummy. You can’t be so sure of men. “she began in that sermon-voice of hers that always got on my nerves because she was always almost right but the ringing of my phone cut her off and I glanced down to see Tunde’s face flashing at me before Beyounce’s “single lady” filled the restroom. “I flashed her a triumphant smile before turning to answer my call and she waited for the ten minutes it took me to talk to my boyfriend. “He is taking me out for lunch today. Can you beat that? it is so unusual of him.”I laughed out loud in excitement and practically jumped up in joy. Ruth rolled her eyes in exasperation and opened her mouth to start talking but the door to the restroom opened and my immediate manager came in. “Hi Christy.”I nodded to her and slipped out of the room, closely followed by Ruth.

I freshened up during my lunch break and slipped out of office to meet Tunde downstairs where he was waiting for me in his company’s car. “You are always looking good.”He said with open appreciation as I approached him and greeted me with a quick kiss on the lips. I knew I looked great and sporty in a pair of sky-blue jeans and white t-shirt completed with a blue tennis shoe and I was happy he noted that. “I will take you shopping first before we go for lunch but we have to make everything snappy as we have to return to the office in the next one hour.”He told me conversationally as he moved smoothly into the moving traffic on Awolowo road in ikoyi and I was speechless once again. It wasn’t as if Tunde had not been a good man in the two years we have been together but everything was happening so fast that it had my head spinning. We‘ve had our own share of arguments like any other average couple and we ve had our share of joyful and interesting memories as well but when it comes to getting me things, I always seems to have to dragged him bodily to the shop or market and that was if he didn’t succeed in persuading me to collect the money after he had split it neatly into two .

We went for shopping and for lunch in the same shopping mall before he dropped me off in front of my office an hour and ten minutes later after promising to pick me up at the close of work. I slipped back to my desk without my manager catching me but Ruth’s gaze followed me and I knew she was dying to hear the full gist from me.Unfortunately,it was Friday and the pressure at work was much, so we didn’t have time to gist before the day slipped away and we were ready to leave for home. Tunde called again as I was clearing my desk, so I put away everything in haste and bid everybody a general “Goodnight” before walking out of my office. “Take it easy this weekend, jummy because your haste to get home is very touching.”I almost collided with my manager again on my way down and I cursed the old bitch in my mind. “Oh! I’m sorry, Christy.Good night and have a nice weekend.”I said with a smile as I side –stepped and bounced down the staircase. “Goodnight. My regards to him. “She answered with obvious amusement as she went up the staircase.

I and Tunde spent sometimes on the island at his favorite joint before heading for the mainland when we were sure the traffic would have lessened considerably.Normally, he would have spent sometime with his pals that worked on the mainland, no matter how late it was when we get to the mainland but I was surprised when he drove towards his house. “Won’t you see wale and the rest tonight?”I asked, hiding a yawn behind my palm and he reached out to squeeze my knee. “They have gone for one of our friend’s bachelor’s eve to tonight.”He said as he drove into his street. “Really? Which of them is getting married over the weekend?”I asked in surprise. Wale was his childhood friend and I knew virtually everything about their group of friends or so I thought. “You don’t know him.”He dismissed my enquiry with a flick of his hand and I was a bit hurt but I let it drop.
Two hours later, we stepped out of his bathroom after a quickie against the bathroom wall followed by a cold bath and flopped unto his bed with a satisfied sigh. “I have something to tell you.”He said after a moment as he rolled unto his side, facing me and supported his head on his elbow. “Is that another surprise?”I teased good-naturedly as I turned and mirrored his posture too. “Maybe.”He shrugged as he trailed a finger down my throat and tugged gently at my towel. “Stop that. Tell me what you have in mind first.”I slapped at his hand with a reproving look. To my surprise, he got out of bed and went to open his wardrobe. This is it! I thought with a silly grin on my face as I watched him pulled out boxers shorts and I closed my eyes as I day –dreamed. I could almost see him on his knees, asking me to marry him but I was shaken out of my reverie when he tapped me on my cheek and sat in front of me on the rug. “Are you okay?”He asked with a frown and I nodded. “Spill it. Why are you sitting there and not lying beside me?”I asked in my bid to lighten up the tension that had suddenly filled up the room. “There was this woman I met two months before I met you, she was a friend to my closest cousin and her name is Julian.”He began uneasily and I sat up in bed. “I remember. I think you told me about her and how she walked out of your life before the relationship took root. Have you seen her again? What is wrong with her?”I asked in concern. “Well, I met her again six months ago and ……………….”He paused for a while and held my gaze. “We are getting engaged in her family house in two weeks time!”He dropped the bombshell and I stared dumbfounded!

Please be on the look out for the next series......Thank you!


https://mobolajiolanrewaju./2017/01/26/diary-of-olajumoke-davies-the-boot/

My name is Mobolaji Olanrewaju. I am the author of http://www.mobolajiolanrewaju., a blog through which i reach out to my readers. I love reading and writing.
I am a graduate and while in school, i received an award for best writer of the year.I also write for local Newspaper during my service year for the women's World and "Diary of a single,fun-loving Lady".

My industry experience include Consulting in Travel-related issues,booking and reservation of flight and hotels and Tours.

I am a graduate of biochemistry ,i have MBA in Human Resource and currently doing my certification in CIPM (Chartered Institute of personnel management).

I just started my write up on "DIARY OF OLAJUMOKE DAVIES"

THE BOOT!
It was a Friday once again and my best day out of the whole week but this particular Friday was very special. I have this dream look on my face throughout the week and have trouble concentrating on my work. It got so bad that my best friend and colleague, Ruth actually noticed the look and dragged me to the office restroom during our lunch break.

“Whatzup with you, jummy? You have been behaving like a newly –wedded bride since the beginning of the week.”Ruth demanded with her hand on her hips. Ruth was a delta girl that was born and bred in the north and came to Lagos after her service year in the eastern part of Nigeria. She was a short, plumpy girl in her early thirties with an open and straightforward nature that attracted me to her the very first time I met her which was two months after I joined my company. “Tunde invited me to spend this coming weekend with him.”I confided in a loud stage whisper with a big smile on my face and watched her pretty face clouded in confusion. Tunde was my two-year old boyfriend who worked in the bank on the island and almost everybody in the company knew about our relationship. “What is the big deal about that? Is it the first time you are spending the weekend at his place?”She asked in sacasm, almost glaring at me. “Oh! You don’t understand? I think he is going to pop the big question. I’m so happy. He has been kind of mysterious in the past few weeks and has been surprising me in little million ways. Don’t you get it?”I took her hand eagerly and shook it with impatience. “Be real, jummy. You can’t be so sure of men. “she began in that sermon-voice of hers that always got on my nerves because she was always almost right but the ringing of my phone cut her off and I glanced down to see Tunde’s face flashing at me before Beyounce’s “single lady” filled the restroom. “I flashed her a triumphant smile before turning to answer my call and she waited for the ten minutes it took me to talk to my boyfriend. “He is taking me out for lunch today. Can you beat that? it is so unusual of him.”I laughed out loud in excitement and practically jumped up in joy. Ruth rolled her eyes in exasperation and opened her mouth to start talking but the door to the restroom opened and my immediate manager came in. “Hi Christy.”I nodded to her and slipped out of the room, closely followed by Ruth.

I freshened up during my lunch break and slipped out of office to meet Tunde downstairs where he was waiting for me in his company’s car. “You are always looking good.”He said with open appreciation as I approached him and greeted me with a quick kiss on the lips. I knew I looked great and sporty in a pair of sky-blue jeans and white t-shirt completed with a blue tennis shoe and I was happy he noted that. “I will take you shopping first before we go for lunch but we have to make everything snappy as we have to return to the office in the next one hour.”He told me conversationally as he moved smoothly into the moving traffic on Awolowo road in ikoyi and I was speechless once again. It wasn’t as if Tunde had not been a good man in the two years we have been together but everything was happening so fast that it had my head spinning. We‘ve had our own share of arguments like any other average couple and we ve had our share of joyful and interesting memories as well but when it comes to getting me things, I always seems to have to dragged him bodily to the shop or market and that was if he didn’t succeed in persuading me to collect the money after he had split it neatly into two .

We went for shopping and for lunch in the same shopping mall before he dropped me off in front of my office an hour and ten minutes later after promising to pick me up at the close of work. I slipped back to my desk without my manager catching me but Ruth’s gaze followed me and I knew she was dying to hear the full gist from me.Unfortunately,it was Friday and the pressure at work was much, so we didn’t have time to gist before the day slipped away and we were ready to leave for home. Tunde called again as I was clearing my desk, so I put away everything in haste and bid everybody a general “Goodnight” before walking out of my office. “Take it easy this weekend, jummy because your haste to get home is very touching.”I almost collided with my manager again on my way down and I cursed the old bitch in my mind. “Oh! I’m sorry, Christy.Good night and have a nice weekend.”I said with a smile as I side –stepped and bounced down the staircase. “Goodnight. My regards to him. “She answered with obvious amusement as she went up the staircase.

I and Tunde spent sometimes on the island at his favorite joint before heading for the mainland when we were sure the traffic would have lessened considerably.Normally, he would have spent sometime with his pals that worked on the mainland, no matter how late it was when we get to the mainland but I was surprised when he drove towards his house. “Won’t you see wale and the rest tonight?”I asked, hiding a yawn behind my palm and he reached out to squeeze my knee. “They have gone for one of our friend’s bachelor’s eve to tonight.”He said as he drove into his street. “Really? Which of them is getting married over the weekend?”I asked in surprise. Wale was his childhood friend and I knew virtually everything about their group of friends or so I thought. “You don’t know him.”He dismissed my enquiry with a flick of his hand and I was a bit hurt but I let it drop.
Two hours later, we stepped out of his bathroom after a quickie against the bathroom wall followed by a cold bath and flopped unto his bed with a satisfied sigh. “I have something to tell you.”He said after a moment as he rolled unto his side, facing me and supported his head on his elbow. “Is that another surprise?”I teased good-naturedly as I turned and mirrored his posture too. “Maybe.”He shrugged as he trailed a finger down my throat and tugged gently at my towel. “Stop that. Tell me what you have in mind first.”I slapped at his hand with a reproving look. To my surprise, he got out of bed and went to open his wardrobe. This is it! I thought with a silly grin on my face as I watched him pulled out boxers shorts and I closed my eyes as I day –dreamed. I could almost see him on his knees, asking me to marry him but I was shaken out of my reverie when he tapped me on my cheek and sat in front of me on the rug. “Are you okay?”He asked with a frown and I nodded. “Spill it. Why are you sitting there and not lying beside me?”I asked in my bid to lighten up the tension that had suddenly filled up the room. “There was this woman I met two months before I met you, she was a friend to my closest cousin and her name is Julian.”He began uneasily and I sat up in bed. “I remember. I think you told me about her and how she walked out of your life before the relationship took root. Have you seen her again? What is wrong with her?”I asked in concern. “Well, I met her again six months ago and ……………….”He paused for a while and held my gaze. “We are getting engaged in her family house in two weeks time!”He dropped the bombshell and I stared dumbfounded!

Please be on the look out for the next series......Thank you!


https://mobolajiolanrewaju./2017/01/26/diary-of-olajumoke-davies-the-boot/